The Vermont Attorney General's office says two state troopers were justified when they fired their weapons at a man who crashed his car after an 18-mile chase that approached speeds of 100 miles per hour.

The investigation found that Trooper Seth Loomis and Sgt. Denis Girouard fired a total of 29 shots at 28-year-old Eric Jackson on May 28 because the troopers feared Jackson was trying to run them down with his vehicle after it stopped in Barton.

The chase began after Jackson ran a stop sign.

The attorney general's office says that after Jackson stopped, he accelerated his vehicle at Girouard's cruiser, hitting it on the passenger side. He then hit Loomis's cruiser.

The troopers fired until Jackson slumped over his steering wheel. Jackson was hospitalized.